Accrington v Rotherham

27 November 2012

Two goals from Daniel Nardiello were enough to see the Millers pick up back-to-back away wins after going behind early on at the Crown Ground. The striker pounced on a mistake in the Stanley backline to net his first, before doubling his tally from the angle to complete the comeback.

Millers boss Steve Evans named an unchanged side for the visit to the Crown Ground, but was boosted with the return to fitness of Lee Frecklington, who was named amongst the substitutes, in place of the suspended Mitchell Rose.

The game had a blistering start, with goals going in at either end before the referee's watch had ticked over to five minutes. There were just two minutes on the clock when Charlie Barnett’s corner was headed home emphatically by Dean Winnard at the near post. However, Winnard would turn from hero to villain within a minute as Ian Sharps’ long ball led to a mix up between the Accrington goalscorer and ‘keeper Ian Dunbavin, allowing Nardiello to tap home from close range.

Despite a blistering start to the game, proceedings became scrappy with neither side being able to take charge until Padraig Amond won his side a corner following a fine turn and shot in the area was deflected. From the resulting set-piece, Stanley’s Romauld Boco saw his shot kicked off the line by Johnny Mullins.

The Millers soon hit back however, and after a fine run by Nardiello he looped his shot over the bar as he was falling away, and on 20 minutes Alex Revell shot narrowly wide on the turn after controlling well on the edge of the box.

The Millers were having the majority of the chances without really troubling Dunbavin in the Accrington goal. Nardiello fired one shot against the roof of the stand and Revell headed Ben Pringle’s cross straight at the ‘keeper, before eventually having the ball in the net only to see his celebrations short-lived due to an offside flag.

Half-time

Accrington 1v1 Millers

Much like the first half, the Millers netted within five minutes of the start of the half, and this time it put them in front. A ball was fired across from the left by Nardiello and with Revell going in on the goalkeeper, it found its way into the back of the net.

The home side did push for a leveller, but failed to create much thanks to a dominant performance by the Millers’ defensive pairing of Sharps and Mullins. The closest they did come came as a result of Bradley’s shin as he stuck out a leg to deflect a cross and almost wrong-footed Andy Warrington.

The second half proved cagey affair with little in the way of chances created, although former Liverpool striker-turned winger Craig Lindfield volleyed harmlessly wide at the far post from Michael Liddle’s centre. At the other end, O’Connor stung the palms of Dunbavin with a free-kick, which he himself had been felled for.

As the game entered the final five minutes, Cameron found a yard on the left and fired with plenty of venom, but his shot was high and wide.

Deep into the four minutes of stoppage time, one last chance came for the home side, but a disappointing conversion from Liddle's cross was comfortable for Warrington.